How (And Why) To Set Drinks On Fire

Flaming Doctor Pepper

This drink tastes exactly like a popular soda. Our lawyers say you have to guess which one.

Ingredients:Beer — an amber beer like Yuengling works best, but any will do Amaretto Overproof rum Pint glass Shot glass

Fill a pint glass 1/2-3/4 full of beer;

Fill a shot glass ¾ full with amaretto;

Float ¼ rum over the top of the amaretto;

Light rum, allow it to burn for several seconds;

Drop flaming shot into the beer, chug contents;

You can also blow the shot out prior to dropping in the beer.

The Flaming Shot

Most drink recipes use regular proof alcohols. Whereas 151 and its brethren will light at room temperature, regular proof spirits need to be warmed to a bit above room temperature. To do so, start with a small quantity of alcohol — a shot glass.

If you just want a plain old shot of liquor to light on fire, you can hold a lighter to it for several seconds.

The flame will heat the shot up, and it will eventually light. This is the easiest way to light a shot on fire.

To light a shot more quickly, fill the shot glass nearly full and pour the last bit into a spoon. Light the liquor in the spoon and then pour it onto the rest of the shot. This will heat the liquor much faster.

Blow the shot out before you shoot it. We know your mom taught you this already, but don't put anything in your mouth that is on fire. Don't underfill the drink — the heat on the glass could crack the glass. Don't fill the drinks all the way to the rim, either; you need to blow the shot out, not have flaming booze splash out of the glass and onto the counter. A party foul, and potential arson? Steer clear.

The Flaming B-52

This shot is named for the U.S. bomber plane, not the pop group, but bonus points are awarded if “Love Shack” is playing in the background. B-52 bombers were used in the Vietnam War to firebomb the jungle, hence its use as the name of a flaming shot.

Ingredients: 1/3 shot Kahlua 1/3 shot Baileys 1/3 shot Grand Marnier

Pour the Kahlua into the shot glass;

Carefully layer on the Baileys;

Carefully layer on the Grand Marnier;

Light the Grand Marnier and let it burn for a few seconds;

Extinguish the flame and drink.

The Backdraft

This over-the-top drink has a very elaborate presentation, but the payoff is worth it. On top of the flames, the drink actually produces a backdraft effect, sucking alcohol into the glass. So you can brush up on your physics, all while getting your friends good and drunk — this drink hits hard.

Place a shot glass of Sambuca in the middle of a saucer on a counter.

Fill a pint glass with a few drops of Cointreau, swirl the Cointreau until the inside of the pint glass is coated.

Light the Cointreau and let it burn until pint glass is warm to the touch.

Pour flaming Cointreau into a shot glass, igniting the Sambuca. Don't worry if you spill some on the saucer, it's there to keep flaming alcohol off your countertop.

Hold a cinnamon shaker over the top and shake several bits of cinnamon onto the Sambuca, holding the pint glass upside-down over the flame to collect the heat and the alcohol vapor.

Set the pint glass down upside down over the shot, extinguishing the flames. If there's any flaming alcohol on the saucer blow it out now.

The heat from the shot will pull any spilled liquid from the saucer back under the pint glass. Science!

Pick up the pint glass and cover the top with your palm. If your friend is feeling suicidal, he can stick a straw between your fingers and “sip” the alcohol fumes, then take the shot. Huffing alcohol fumes is a personal decision, but we don't recommend it. Just the shot will do.

flame on

By following the steps outlined above, and paying attention to the safety rules laid out, you too can master the flaming drink. Try a little practice before your next party. Then surprise everyone when you get behind the bar, and calmly announce to the party it's time to start lighting some drinks on fire.